Crayola Lettering – How to Hand Letter with Markers

On a regular basis, people email me or DM me, asking me what the best pens are for beginner letterers. And, my answer seems to surprise most people because the answer is Crayola, or similar, broad tip markers. First of all, Crayola markers are inexpensive and readily available. You can find a pack of 8 markers from less than $5. Plus, you can find the markers in a broad range of colors.

But, there is also a more technical reason that Crayola lettering works great for beginners. For brush lettering, you need a pen or marker that will give allow you to create a thick downstroke and thin upstroke. So, you need a pen than is a little bit flexible and has a broad tip. If you have ever tried out a brush pen, then you know that typically the broad tip is very flexible, so it’s easy to get a nice thick downstroke. However, since brush pens are so flexible, it’s hard to create nice, clean thin upstroke. Since the pen is so flexible, then thin upstrokes often end up looking a little shaky.

Crayola lettering, however, is easier for beginners, because the tips are not so flexible as other brush pens. They are nice and sturdy, plus they don’t fray like brush pens often do. Because they are sturdy, they are easier for beginners to manipulate. Plus, if you struggle at all with shaky upstrokes, then Crayola lettering might just be for you!

To master Crayola Lettering, then you need to practice in three steps: (1) the strokes, (2) the letters, and (3) words. Watch each of the videos below to see how I practice each of these. In order to recreate how I practice, you’ll need a Crayola Marker, and the Blank and Summer Words Worksheets that I use in these videos. To receive FREE access to these sheets, go here or click on the button, below:

Step 1: Strokes

First, practice the strokes that make up the letters. Strokes are the foundation of lettering. And, every letter is actually just made up of a few strokes put together. Recreate each of these strokes in draw in the video, using the free blank worksheet download.

Step 2: Letters

Once you feel like you have a hang of the strokes, it’s time to make the letters. You can watch how I make each of my letters in this video.

The blank worksheet is perfect place to draw your letters. You can use this photo below as a reference for when you are practicing, too. I have a Pinterest board where I save letters and alphabets to reference when I am practicing or developing a new style.

Step 3: Making Words

The final step in practicing Crayola lettering is creating words. After you feel comfortable with your letters, it’s time to connect those letters into words! I’ve made it a little easier for you to practice words with a free summer words worksheet! You can practice your words directly on this sheet or cover the sheet with a piece of tracing paper and trace over the words, like I did in this video. Make sure you watch the video to hear a few extra tips on connecting your words.